New Playgrounds at PP&R’s East Portland Community Center and East Holladay Park Now Open

Two new outdoor playgrounds at PP&R’s East Portland Community Center and East Holladay Park are now completed and open.

Construction began in early August. The playgrounds were designed by Portland Parks & Recreation landscape architect Travis Ruybal.

“The new playgrounds at East Portland Community Center and East Holladay Park reflect our commitment to the clear civic justice of providing better parks to the traditionally underserved areas east of I-205,” says City Parks Commissioner Nick Fish. “Seeing happy children use these new playgrounds is another example of how the City’s E205 Initiative brings East Portlanders together by making neighborhood parks more welcoming places.”

East Portland Community Center served the most people of any Portland Parks & Recreation community center last year, tallying 375,000 visits.

The playground at PP&R’s East Holladay Park (12999 NE Holladay) has turned the park into a neighborhood destination. Amenities include two new play structures swings, a slide, see-saws, and other play equipment on top of a bark surface.

East Portland Community Center & Pool - 740 SE 106th Ave

The PP&R playground features play equipment for children ranging in age from 2 to 12 years old. See the attached photos for some of the snazzy play structures that rise from the soft bark surfacing! Supercool structures with names like the Synchro Spinner and Mountaineer mean the playground is sure to delight! Many portions of the new play equipment are constructed with environmentally responsible recycled materials such as milk jugs and scrap steel. Play features are designed with physical and social development in mind, and comply with all safety and accessibility standards. They include slides, swings, a jungle gym, climbing structures, and more!

East Holladay Park- 12999 NE Holladay

The East Holladay Park playground features play equipment for children ranging in age from 2 to 12 years old. See the attached photos for some of the snazzy play structures on top of the soft surface! Features include a giant ladybug climbing shell, slide, in-line and infant swings, climbing structures, and a jungle gym. Elements will bring to mind a rainbow, or perhaps the dramatic beauty of a peacock tail, with plenty of space to run and play! Special thanks to PP&R staff for their work on these endeavors.

About the E205 Initiative

The E-205 Initiative was enacted by the City by a 5-0 Council vote.There have been many projects in East Portland undertaken under the umbrella of E-205 initiative. The idea is to make smaller, affordable improvements in existing parks and facilities which can make a big, immediate and tangible difference to a community without waiting for a bond measure (which could take years).

Portland Parks & Recreation staffers are working on amenities such as new park benches, painting and refurbishing play structures and refurbishing and/or installing new play equipment and water fountains.

The E-205 Initiative came about under the guidance of City Parks Commissioner Nick Fish. New parks can cost in the tens of millions and Portland Parks & Recreation is looking toward a bond measure in the future to address these service gaps. Fortunately, PP&R is able to make noticeable, tangible, and useable improvements at this time and going forward.

“Many Portlanders love our city for its beautiful parks, but few people recognize how many citizens don’t have access to them,” says Nick Hardigg, Executive Director of the Portland Parks Foundation.

“That is especially true inEast Portland, where the population has been rising for decades with very few parks being created. We see the projects of E-205 as both extremely necessary and also having a remarkable return on investment. Nowhere can so little money have a greater impact than with E-205. As the fundraising foundation forPortland’s park-loving citizens, equity of access is central to our mission. We are an eager partner to make these outstanding opportunities become reality.”